don't cry, laugh
by Yotsubadancesintherain5
Summary: Homura keeps seeing glimpses of her and frankly it's a mixture of excitement and annoyance.


It started when Homura woke up one morning and saw a sea of pink hair at her bedside and couldn't even speak.

Madoka, a goddess right here in Homura's room, turned her head and there was a smile on her face that would've made anyone burst into tears.

Homura briefly wondered if she really healed up her heart with magic.

"I made it," Madoka said, "I was trying out my goddess powers, I think with enough practice I can-"

Just as Homura was working up the courage to give a kiss to her Madoka vanished. Homura pinched her cheeks and realized that this was not a dream.

Homura was on edge of anticipation for the next couple of weeks, waiting for Madoka to return, and would become careless in Wraith fighting. Mami had to scold her multiple times.

She caught a glimpse of a white dress against the night sky and tripped for the first time in probably a hundred years.

Her knee certainly felt like it was a hundred, and even with magical healing Kyoko and Mami had to help her hobble back to Mami's home and put an ice pack on the injured knee.

In all honesty, the small hint was enough to rejuvenate Homura. She tried walking home, limped badly, and Mami made Homura sleep at her home that night.

Kyoko gave her a look, too, something like, "This girl has some hidden layers of weirdness that I don't think I want to explore."

With her entire youth stolen from her Homura thought she was entitled to being weird sometimes.

As it was, Mami offered up her home for Homura with that injured knee, and Homura didn't have the heart to turn her down. The walk from Homura's house to school was much too long, and Mami would've needed the company anyway.

Whenever Kyoko stopped by she had some new chunky game cartridge in hand and occasionally would make Homura share the couch.

The only time Homura played a game it was an RPG and Homura would not level up her characters or collect enough health potions and the only thing she really did consistently was constantly save the game. Homura had a weird twinge that she could enjoy an RPG but with this one it was more fun to hear Kyoko's complaining.

"Homura, this enemy is so easy, you just need to level up your mage's magic," Kyoko said from the floor, in-between rifling through her game cartridges. "Be careful in this area, you can't go back if – Why?! Why did you save?!"

"This game looks fun!" an achingly familiar voice said and Homura tore her eyes away from the screen to see Madoka sitting next to her on the couch.

The only sounds were the game's repetitive music and Mami's cooking in the next room.

"Sorry, I can't stay long yet," Madoka said and then it was like she was never there.

Kyoko was staring at that spot with her mouth agape, her eyebrows furrowed, and her eyes scrunched up; she turned back to her collection.

"I've been playing too many games lately," she said briskly, "That was nothing, that was nothing."

Homura didn't pay attention until the game over music blared from the TV.

Homura was once again on sharp lookout, once her knee finally healed by magic and she could go back to her house. The only time her guard was down was during the comforting heat of a bath and then the cloud of warmth that followed her as she put on fresh pajamas and would get a cold drink from the refrigerator.

She barely cracked open a can of orange juice before a voice called her name and Homura dropped the can. Orange liquid became a pool at her feet.

"Sorry, Homura!" Madoka said from Homura's couch, "I was waiting for you for an hour! I think I finally know how to-"

And she was gone again. Homura was getting really tired of this.

Homura kept her irritated feelings under wraps, mostly taking it out on the Wraiths. Kyoko made an offhand comment about feeling sorry for them when Homura set her sights on one.

She involuntarily stomped around the battlefield and was forced by Mami and Kyoko to go home. Homura's vision was tinted with dark green under the setting sun. She continuously rubbed at her eyes.

That was why when she returned home and found Madoka lying on her bed, her hands clasped over her chest and her hair like a river that cascaded past the bed, Homura blinked and disregarded the sight.

"I must have fallen asleep somewhere," she said.

Madoka looked like Snow White or Sleeping Beauty. Entrapped in sleep from a bite of an apple (Homura disregarded that fairytale comparison when she realized it more aptly described Kyoko) or rather the sharpness of a spinning wheel.

Forever waiting for someone to wake her up, and Homura could deeply sympathize with those fairy tale girls now. This whole life for her was a twisted fairy tale and she didn't have the option of waking up.

It brought back those old feelings that were hard to break away from, "At least I can save her," and in her sleep-deprived state Homura leaned over this Madoka that would surely disappear.

"You're going to break the spell," Madoka said, and it was swallowed up by a louder noise because Homura _screamed _and fell back.

"I'm sorry, Homura!" Madoka said, and she clamored to the edge of the bed. "I got so excited, I…"

Homura rubbed the back of her head. It throbbed but she knew the truth then.

"You're here."

"I tried really hard," Madoka said. "These powers are a lot! I think with some more work I can…"

She sat crossed legged, her face tilted against her hand.

"I don't regret my wish," she clarified, "I wanted to see what I could do. I think you've given me a lot of power, Homura! I can probably do a lot for everyone."

Homura could only nod without a word.

"You know, I tried helping out the girls," Madoka said, "I wondered, 'Maybe I could help them restart,' and take away their despair and let them go right back. It didn't work for a few times but then I got it!"

It all made Homura's head spin.

"And then I thought," Madoka continued, her words going much faster in her excitement, "Maybe I can continue my duties from my home! Go on as a regular girl but continue guiding girls to happiness and back to their tangible homes, if you will."

She took a breath.

"The point is, I wanted to see how long I could stay on Earth, and I think I finally got it. I wanted to tell you first."

"So, then, Sayaka will be okay?" Homura asked when she could finally speak.

"She wants to relax in our heaven for a little while longer," Madoka said, "But she misses you all. So I think she'll come back soon."

The first thought that came to Homura's head was, "Kyoko is going to scream so loud," and it was enough to make her smile.

"Ah, you must be tired," Madoka said, the idea just striking her. "Go ahead and get ready for bed, I'll still be here!"

Even so Homura went by quickly in her nightly rituals, and an unspeakable amount of relief flooded her heart when she saw that Madoka was still there.

"If we could still test it," Homura said, pulling at the cuffs of her pajamas, "Maybe you could stay here for the night?"

"Good idea!" Madoka said. "And I want to try out the eight hours of sleep again."

Homura got into the bed first and had to help tie up Madoka's hair into braids. In a flash Madoka changed her dress into pajamas for more comfort.

When they were settled in and Homura was almost asleep Madoka had one request.

"You still have to wake me up from the spell."

Homura obliged then, and she never knew someone's lips could be so soft, almost ethereal. It was quick, and Homura held onto Madoka's hand as a tether to the Earth.

When the early morning sunlight fell upon her face Homura awoke and dared to open her eyes. She saw Madoka sleeping there and happiness like she'd never known encompassed her.

**A/N: Originally posted on AO3 on June 16 2019**


End file.
